Inhibited
by pokemon fan 98
Summary: 5x01 and 5x02 spoilers. Jemma's senses are inhibited. So are the team's options for rescuing her, powerless as they are in the Kree system. May is still going to find her. She was there when Jemma was taken, and she's going to be there to bring her back.
1. Inhibited

**A/N: Hey guys! Are you loving the new season as much as I am? I had to write something after the events in the premiere, and decided it would be interesting to do part from Jemma's perspective and part from May's. I like their friendship and felt like they had good scenes in the episodes, so a story with both perspectives is fitting. Hope you like it!**

It was like wearing those impairment goggles students put on to understand the effects of alcohol, which noticeably impair eyesight. But unlike those exercises, this didn't go away. This haziness around her field of vision remained no matter how hard she strained her eyes to see clearly. And her hearing… she didn't understand exactly how that worked. Or rather, didn't. She could hear Kasius, and nothing else. Not the sound of water running, or a door opening. Not even her own breathing.

It was a terrifyingly alien experience.

And Jemma had just about had enough of those.

She stayed as still as she could as she changed into the outfit of the servants, and then had her face half painted gold. She knew that if she expressed her fear or disorientation, she would be in danger. But it was one of the harder things she'd ever done, keeping a straight face while inwardly panicking for those first few hours. And when she finally did hear something (Kasius speaking to her), she didn't know if she felt more scared or relieved.

"It will take some adjustment, but you are learning efficiently." He said, looking straight at her. "In time your hearing will expand. Once you've learned to only follow my voice, others won't need to be blocked out."

She opened her mouth to ask how it was possible, but after uttering the first word stopped herself. She couldn't hear herself speak. What was the point?

Kasius smiled at her quickly. "See? You're learning."

And she did. Her movements adjusted to her reduced-clarity vision, so that she could walk confidently despite the blurriness. And after what had to be a few days, she heard Kasius's voice: when he wasn't speaking only to her. She heard him address all the servants, and give an order to the woman that had brought her here. She had to smile in relief that he hadn't lied to her. Her hearing would return.

She was kept under careful observation at first, until her duties became a habit. She was thrilled to hear her voice when she answered a question from Kasius, and the voice of the woman. Most noises were still drowned out, but it was so much better than hearing nothing.

She was told to make an announcement one day; as the man she'd replaced had done. It was the first time she was allowed near humans again, and she decided to try to look for her team.

She had to look straight ahead, because the edges of her vision were blurred still. She also had to keep her features composed. She was very aware of the woman watching her, and knew this was a test. If she acted incorrectly in any way, she doubted she would be allowed to live.

So she gave the announcement that Kasius had decided to reward the poor humans with more food, and then turned to walk back to her station, not taking any longer than necessary. But she did scan the crowd of people as much as she could in that short time. She thought she saw May's face, but afterward she wasn't sure. She just hoped someone recognized _her_ , and was coming up with a plan to get her out.

* * *

May stood in the back of the room, arms crossed as she leaned against the wall in a short break. Every time she came in this room now she saw Simmons' face, as the girl had looked when being taken away. She'd been brave, not showing the fear she must have felt, and May had felt pride even as she worried.

It wasn't fair. She'd saved someone's life, and because of that good deed, had been taken somewhere no one apparently came back from.

Anytime May saw the Kree woman that had taken Simmons she searched for a sign of her, but it wasn't very often that the woman made an appearance, and it was only a servant in white with her when she did. She cast them a quick glance and then stood from the wall to go back to work, calling it a lost cause for the day. The woman had brought a different servant this time to announce increased rations, a girl this time. No sign of her.

But when the girl spoke May turned around. She knew that voice. And she looked at the girl more closely, seeing through the controlled expression and concealing makeup.

"Simmons." She whispered.

She started to walk forward, but the Kree woman was already leading Simmons away. May watched her until she disappeared from sight and then walked quickly to Coulson, back in their workroom.

"Phil, I saw her." She whispered urgently.

He took a second to understand, and then the tools in his hands were laid on the table as he fully looked at her. "Where?"

"She's one of the servants."

"Wait, you saw Simmons?" Daisy rushed forward. Tess looked over at them.

"She's alive." May said. That fear that had been gnawing at her ever since Simmons had been taken was settling down: she was alive. May felt so much relief just from seeing the girl. "She was only here for a minute, but she's okay for now."

"That's the most you'll see her." Tess said. "We never interact with the servants."

"But now we know where she is, right?" Daisy asked. "We can figure out a way to get her back -."

"No." Tess said. "We don't know where they stay, and I don't think there's a way to get out of servitude. I'm sorry. At least you know she's alive." She walked away, going back to work. May watched her for a second. She barely knew Tess, but she could tell the girl was clinging to the system she knew, to keep herself safe. In her experience, there was very little hope.

May's experience was completely different. Finding out where Simmons was being kept would be difficult, but nowhere near impossible. And even if it did seem impossible, May would still do it. She had to get her teammate back.

She wondered what Simmons was being forced to do. If that controlled expression was her own, or if something had been done to her. The only thing she knew was that they had to get her back, before something bad happened. There was a chance Simmons was safer from danger wherever she was being held (she probably didn't have to worry about a renewal), but she was also constantly under guard. One mistake and that 'safety' would be gone, switched to inescapable danger. They needed to act as soon as possible.

"So what's the plan?" she asked.

She looked at Daisy and Coulson's faces and saw the determination in their expressions.

"I might have an idea." Daisy said. "If we can get access to that tablet Yo-Yo stole, maybe we can see where she's being kept, make an actual plan."

"We've got to start somewhere." Coulson said. "I'll go get it." He looked at May. It seemed like he wanted to say something but didn't know what. May nodded at him in understanding, and watched as he walked out of the room.

"We should tell Mack and Yo-Yo the good news." Daisy said.

"You go ahead."

Daisy went to find them with a new bounce in her step, and May felt that she had a new energy herself, with this new hope. She felt like smiling.

It was the first time May had felt tempted to smile in days.


	2. Tested

**A/N: I was originally going to keep this a one-shot, but I know several people requested I continue, and I thought it would be fun to keep going, so here's chapter two. Know that there's more to come after this (I'll write as fast as I can, now that I'm getting an idea of how I want it to go). I hope you like it! Let me know what you think!**

"Jemma, how are you?"

She stared straight ahead as Kasius walked around her, standing too close. "Fine, thank you." she said in a small voice. She'd just gotten back from making the announcement downstairs.

"I see your improvement daily." He said, close to her ear. "And I believe a small reward has been earned." He whispered something in a different language, and Jemma gasped as the thing in her ear moved. When it stopped she realized there was no sound in her ears anymore. And not the absence of any noise, but the absence of the noise-blocking hum. A door opened, and she turned her head to see it.

Kasius smiled. "Don't make me regret this choice, Jemma."

She glanced at him and dipped her head. "Thank you."

He dismissed her, telling her to return to her usual duties. She heard everything again: footsteps, water, and most importantly, other people. She felt fully human again, with this simple sense restored. She found herself listening to whatever scraps of conversation she could, hoping to figure out any way to get back to her team.

About two days after she gave her first announcement, Jemma was told to give another.

"There appears to be dissatisfaction among the workers." Kasius said slowly. "More division than is good for them. It's time to refocus them, with a renewal. Jemma, you will announce this."

She dipped her head and went to follow Sinara, but stopped when Kasius placed a hand on her shoulder. She tensed.

"I expect you to not try anything rash." He said quietly. "You must represent me, and you know what I expect."

"Yes, sir." She said, pushing down her feeling of dread. She knew she couldn't stop the renewal from happening. But she could try to protect her friends. If she could find just one and give them proper warning, they could hide and be safe.

Kasius drew his hand away, and Jemma walked out after Sinara. She focused on memorizing the path they took, and then cleared her expression of any observation as Sinara turned to look at her before going into the workroom. Sinara's eyes narrowed, but Jemma hadn't done anything wrong, so she let her walk in front of her.

The guards in the room started calling for attention, and then grabbed one person and brought them to the front. Sinara looked at them and stepped closer, away from Jemma.

"Simmons!" May said in a hissing whisper.

Jemma turned at the sound. Sinara was talking with the guards, so she stepped closer to May, speaking quickly. "May, thank goodness! I've been hoping to see you!"

"We're gonna get you back." May said. "We just need a little more time."

Jemma nodded her understanding, glancing back at Sinara. "You have to hide. They're going to do another renewal!"

"But Tess said those are rare, and they just had one."

"That's what I have to announce!"

"I'll tell the o-."

Jemma cried out at a sudden pain in her head, her hand flying up to her ear. The thing had moved again. When the pain cleared, the din of noise she had heard before was gone. Her vision was slightly worse as well, blurrier around the edges than it had been in a few days. She could dimly see that May's lips were moving, but she couldn't hear anything.

"You have been instructed not to speak to anyone." Sinara said, and Jemma turned to face her. "Kasius will hear of this betrayal of trust. Still, you must make the announcement."

Her heart pumping faster, Jemma smoothed over her expression and told the people what Kasius had ordered her to. She could hear herself, at least, but she didn't know why the thing in her ear had moved at all. She was led back to Kasius's chambers.

She saw Sinara tell Kasius that she had been seen talking to someone, and watched his expression carefully. If the woman had recognized May, she was in danger.

"Well." Kasius said. "I don't want to believe it. What do you have to say for your actions, Jemma?"

She looked at the ground. "I'm sorry."

"Surely that's not all." Kasius said. "Who was this person you tried to warn?"

A flash of fear behind her mask. "No one special. I wanted to warn whoever I could." She lied.

"Is that so? It couldn't have been the person who helped you save my last servant? A friend, perhaps?"

She stared straight ahead, trying to betray nothing. "I don't know who it was."

Kasius said something to Sinara, the buzzing sound covering it up. Sinara disappeared. Kasius walked closer to Jemma with slow, measured steps.

"I'm disappointed, Jemma." He said. "You acted for your own reasons before following my order. If you hadn't, your hearing wouldn't have been affected." He looked down at her. "You were disloyal."

So that thing in her ear was connected to more than just her senses. It could monitor her every action.

"You need further instruction, it seems. You've learned silence. Now perhaps obedience should be our focus." He said something in that alien language, and Jemma bent double as the thing in her ear moved around, extending itself and burrowing deeper.

When the pain cleared Jemma looked at the ground with watering eyes, unsure what change the thing had brought. Her senses seemed the same. Maybe it had just caused pain, as a punishment.

"Stand up straight." Kasius ordered.

Jemma straightened before she could even think to. Once she was standing normally, she couldn't disguise her shock. She would have obeyed the order anyway, but she had followed it without consciously deciding to. Like she hadn't had a choice.

"I gave you the choice to follow my voice willingly, and you did not." Kasius said softly. "A decision you'll come to regret quite quickly, I'm sure. Now I've taken that choice away." He stood in front of her and looked directly at her. "Now answer me honestly, Jemma. Who were you talking to?"

"I don't – ah… an old friend." The lie she had started to repeat died away as a surge of discomfort ran through her. It ended when she stopped the lie, and when she said the most general truth she could think of, there was no discomfort.

"You see the consequences of disobeying me." Kasius noted. "Now tell me more about this old friend."

* * *

May had been the one to convince the others to wait before acting on any kind of plan, until she'd seen Simmons again. As badly as she'd wanted to fight her way to the servants' ward and get Simmons that day, she knew she couldn't be that impulsive. Not when they didn't have anywhere to go after rescuing Simmons.

But now that May had seen her again, like she'd wanted, she was kicking herself for wanting to wait. Something was definitely wrong. They had some way of making Simmons obey them or something, from what May had observed.

Unfortunately, she couldn't worry about that at the moment. Coulson had been in the room when the renewal was announced. They'd had their metrics scanned, and now they had to hide before someone tried to kill them. The renewal had to be starting any minute. At least it was only for two people this time.

"Grill's office." Coulson said, pulling May after him. "Smaller space, there should be less chance of running into anyone in there."

"Where someone died last time." May reminded him.

"Better than staying here."

May looked for Daisy, Mack, and Yo-Yo as they made their way to the office. Mack and Yo-Yo were with Grill, heading the same direction they were.

"She's with Deke." Coulson said in a low voice. "She should be safe."

Safe might not be the right word, May thought, but at least Daisy was out of range of the renewal. She saw a light coming from her metric and moved a little faster, getting to the office and ducking down against the wall. It was starting.

"I thought I saw you talking to Simmons." Coulson asked quietly, crouched down next to her. Grill was safe in his own private room. Mack and Yo-Yo were trying to secure the entrance to the open part they were sheltering in. "Get any helpful information?"

She looked at the ground. "She wanted to warn us about the renewal, to give us a head start. But I think it cost her. It was stupid to wait. We need to act now."

"I thought you might say that."

"Incoming." Mack said from the doorway. May tensed, ready to fight if necessary, but a few seconds later the light on her metric turned off.

"I thought someone was coming." May said.

"They were." Yo-Yo said in a serious voice. She gestured with her head, and May saw a body just outside the room. "Someone got them before they could get us."

Coulson stood. "That seem too fast to anyone else?"

"I won't complain." Mack said.

May watched Kree guards start pulling the body away, and a flicker of blue in her peripheral vision caught her attention. She glanced that way and saw the woman that had taken Simmons, looking at all the humans in the area. Her eyes found May and fixed on her, and those metal balls she always held appeared in her hand as she started walking over.

"Go." May said under her breath. It was better if the woman didn't know May had a connection with any of the others, if she didn't suspect already. Coulson left her side, although reluctantly. Grill helped by ordering them to get back to work. When he saw the woman looking at May he raced past them.

"I'll need you to come with me." The woman said when she reached May.

"Where?" May asked.

The woman started moving the balls around in her hand, trying to intimidate May. May stared back steadily, unfazed. She saw the woman's eyes narrow slightly. "Come."

May saw a few Kree guards watching them, ready to run over. She could take the guards, but she was guessing this woman was a more skilled fighter. She didn't like her odds facing all of them at once, on her own. That was the only reason she started following the woman.

"You're not completely stupid." The woman said. She led May back through the feeding area and into the hallway beyond. Where Simmons always disappeared to. The hallway was deserted, and they walked in silence for a few seconds.

"You plan on making me a servant?" May asked quietly.

"Absolutely not."

"Good." May said. "Then you won't be disappointed."

And she lunged at the woman.


	3. Bested

Melinda May miscalculated.

She got the drop on the Kree woman, but May wasn't fully recovered yet, and the woman was an excellent fighter, so the advantage was short-lived. May kicked out at her head and then went down with her as her wounded leg gave out. The woman twisted underneath May and wrapped a hand around May's neck.

"Dumb move." The woman said, baring her teeth in a snarl.

May thrust her hand up, shoving the woman off her and sweeping her good leg around to topple her over. She went on top of the woman and gave her a swift punch to the jaw, drawing her fist back to repeat the motion.

That was when one of the woman's balls ripped through her already wounded leg, opening a wide gash.

May couldn't restrain her cry as she slumped to the ground, her hands rushing to cover her leg. The woman stood and looked down at her, controlling the two balls almost carelessly, one of which was now flecked with blood. May started to sit up, and one of the balls zoomed to her neck, hovering just next to it.

"Give me an excuse." The woman said. "Kasius would like to speak to you, but he'll understand if you don't make it."

May exhaled through her nose, shaking with rage and pain. She couldn't help her team if she was dead, and she knew if she tried fighting anymore at the moment, she wouldn't win. "I won't fight." She said in a low voice.

The woman looked at her with narrowed eyes and then seemed to believe her. She grabbed May's arm and hoisted her to her feet, pushing her forward. May stumbled and grit her teeth as her weight was put on her bad leg. It held her, but it was definitely not in good shape. She kept one hand over it as she limped forward, to keep it from bleeding too much. As she was taken to Kasius she went over every option available to her. It wasn't the most encouraging list.

She was pushed very roughly into a large room, so roughly that she fell to one knee. There was a male Kree in the room, facing her, and when he saw her he looked up and started walking over. The servant he had been talking to turned as well, and May stood up quickly, looking from the Kree (Kasius, she guessed) to Simmons.

"Welcome to my chambers." Kasius said in a smooth voice. "I see you've become acquainted with Sinara."

May glared at the woman.

"And I hear that you already know my servant, Jemma."

May raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. Kasius stepped closer, evaluating her. In the corner of her eye she saw Simmons look at her with concern.

"Interesting." Kasius said, his eyes on her wrist. "Jemma has told me you're old friends, yet you have a metric and she does not."

She didn't move.

Sinara swept her leg out before May could prepare and sent her to the floor. May took a deep breath, one hand clamped tightly against the still-bleeding wound on her leg, and started to stand.

"May." Simmons said, her voice laced with concern. "You're hurt." She started walking over and Kasius raised a hand.

"Stop." He said.

Simmons stopped moving, but she was looking anxiously at May's leg. "Please let me help her, it will only take a -."

"Silence."

Simmons swallowed and closed her eyes for a second. Kasius lowered his hand, still looking at May as she stood again. "She's still learning to follow orders." He said with a trace of a smile.

May wanted to force the smile from his face. "What do you want from me?" she asked.

"Answers. Where do you come from?"

"Downstairs."

Kasius nodded at Sinara, and the Kree woman punched May. May looked back up at Kasius, unperturbed. "I see you don't care for conversations." Kasius said. Sinara went to hit her again, but May blocked her fist this time. Sinara half-smiled, and one of her balls slammed into May's shoulder, not going through her but colliding with enough force for her to stagger.

"May!" Simmons exclaimed, trying to run closer.

"I'm fine." May said with a quick glance at her. Simmons didn't pay her any attention.

"Stop!" Kasius ordered, in a much rougher voice than before. Simmons had reached his side, only a few steps from May, but at his order she lurched to a stop, wincing. She started to take another step and stopped, her jaw tensed as if in pain. After a second she relaxed slightly, fixing her gaze to the floor. Kasius looked at her, his chest rising and falling visibly and letting May know his temper was rising. "Do not make another move to help her."

Simmons stared at the floor.

Kasius turned his attention back to May. "Now, where were we?"

"What did you do to her?" May asked in a low voice.

Kasius seemed surprised. "So you do know how to converse."

"What did you do?" May demanded.

"I believe I asked you a question first. Where do you come from?"

May looked at Simmons quickly, considering her options. "Earth." She finally said, deciding to say the most basic truth she could. She hated cooperating, but she didn't see much other choice.

"Interesting."

So began a series of questions that May answered in as little detail as possible. She told him that she and Simmons used to be on the same team, and that they had been sent here by force. That their team had had more people, but they weren't a team anymore (technically speaking, to the outside world they weren't a S.H.I.E.L.D. team anymore, but a group of outlaws). She was hoping being vague there would keep him from suspecting that others had come with them through the monolith.

After what had to be half an hour Kasius nodded. "Very well. Jemma, fetch bandages and tend to her wound."

Simmons rushed out of the room.

"You're of more value to me alive than dead." Kasius said, walking towards the edge of the room. "You took Sinara by surprise, so your skills are formidable. Once you've healed, you can become an enforcer for me."

Simmons came back with a bowl of water and clean cloth, and a tool May hadn't seen before. She set it down next to May. "I need you to sit." She said.

May cast a distrustful look at Sinara and Kasius, talking a few feet away, but did as instructed. Simmons started cleaning blood away from the wound. "How's he doing it?" May whispered, trying to move her lips as little as possible so Kasius wouldn't see. "How does he make you obey?"

Simmons didn't say anything, and May looked at her. "Simmons." She said. Simmons was focused on cleaning the wound, not looking at her, but she should hear her at least. Was she too scared to respond? Or was it something else… May touched her arm and Simmons looked up, pausing in her work. "You can't hear me, can you?"

"I can't hear you." Simmons said almost inaudibly, turning back to her work. She sounded so defeated that May balled up her fist against the side of her good leg, seething. Now she really wanted to hit Kasius and Sinara.

Simmons used the foreign tool to close the wound, much faster than stitching it up. When May had a bandage wrapped tightly around her leg Simmons helped her stand, and Kasius came back over. "Wonderful. Sinara will escort you back to the workroom. I look forward to seeing you soon, when you've healed."

May looked back at Simmons once as she walked out of the room, nodding at her. She would be back soon.

Sinara left her right at the entrance, which was fine with May. As soon as the blue bitch was gone May headed to Grill's area. Coulson jumped on her the second she walked in the room.

"Where did she take you? Are you alright? You're limping again."

"Fine." May said shortly. "Have you seen Daisy yet?"

"Yeah, she's back."

"Good. We'll need her, Mack, and Yo-Yo. We need to talk."

* * *

Jemma woke early the following morning and stared at the ceiling of her cell. This was the only time of day, aside from just before she fell asleep, that she didn't have to constantly mask her features, yet this morning she knew there was no expression for her to hide.

Seeing May brought before Kasius, beaten and powerless, had affected Jemma more than she'd thought it would. She'd tried to help May even after Kasius's order, but she couldn't do it. It had hurt to start running towards May after he'd stated to stop, but once he'd vehemently ordered her to, trying to even walk had been excruciating. The thing in her ear wouldn't let her disobey Kasius, and if she did try to, it caused pain until she gave in to the order.

She'd seen the look on May's face when the woman found out she couldn't hear, though she'd tried to look down before seeing it. She hadn't wanted to see the mixture of pity and horror at being so inhibited, because that made the reality of it come crashing down on her. She hadn't been able to do anything, and in that moment, she'd started losing the little hope she'd had that she would ever get out of this.

So now that she'd had a few hours to process that, and slept with the knowledge that as long as she had that thing inside her, she couldn't escape, she didn't have an expression to hide. She was blank. Like the ideal servant, she thought dimly, with only a slight twinge of irony.

She stood and dressed in her uniform before tying her hair back tight and painting the gold makeup on as she'd been instructed. Then she looked at her reflection in the small mirror that was the only decoration in the cell, making sure everything was perfect. Imperfection in her appearance wouldn't be tolerated. Once that was done she left her tiny room, to get a head start on her chores.

Sinara was outside the kitchen when Jemma reached it. The Kree woman glared at her as she went to the door. Jemma looked at the floor as soon as she saw her, intent on walking past to start the meal preparations for the day.

"Not even a veiled look of contempt," Sinara said in a smug voice. "I guess your lesson yesterday finally made you learn your place."

Jemma paused next to her. "Is there anything I can do for you?" she asked.

She flicked her eyes up and saw Sinara's lips curled up in a smile. "No," Sinara said, now even more smug, "go on with your duties."

Jemma felt a flash of dislike go through her, as it usually did when Sinara interacted with her in any way, but didn't have to hide it this time as she walked into the kitchen. It wasn't that strong.

She went to her assigned tasks, and only had to speak twice more that day. The next day was similar, as were the following two. It wasn't until the fifth day that anything really changed for her, and she actually felt something again.

That was the day she saw the others.


	4. Reunited

**A/N: Hey guys! Here's the last chapter of Inhibited! It was a lot of fun to write, and I hope you like it! Let me know what you think!**

She was in the room she had first met Kasius, standing by as he walked around inspecting his plants. She had seen Sinara leave moments before, to collect May, and Kasius had ordered her to stand at attention. She was to look at May's wound and make sure she was healing properly, but only after she'd been told to move.

May walked in the door first, Sinara a step behind her. Jemma was pleased to see that May's walking seemed much better, with barely a limp detectable.

"May, welcome back," Kasius said. "You seem healed."

Jemma was shocked she was allowed to hear even his voice, so when she heard May respond with a grunt she almost displayed a flicker of surprise. Had Kasius slipped, or was this intentional? As hopeless as she felt, curiosity began bubbling inside her again.

"Are you prepared to serve me?" Kasius asked May.

"Do I have a choice?"

Kasius walked closer to her. "We all have a choice."

"Not all of us," May said, looking at Jemma.

Jemma heard Kasius laugh quietly. A dangerous kind of laugh. "You're not afraid to speak your mind. I can admire that. As long as it's within reason, of course."

"And if you decide it's not within reason? What do you plan on doing to stop me?" May asked.

Kasius looked at Jemma, who kept shifting her eyes from him to the floor as long as he looked at her, wanting to see him but still appear subservient. "There are ways to ensure obedience if you won't practice it willingly."

"But you won't make it that far," Sinara said. The unspoken threat hung over them for a few seconds in silence, Sinara and May looking at each other with paralleled hatred.

Kasius let Sinara's comment go. He snapped his fingers at Jemma, who hurried forward to look at May's leg close up. She glanced at May before crouching and touching the bandage, carefully unwrapping it. May was tense but didn't move while Jemma looked at the wound, and Jemma was pleased to see it looked just fine. It didn't even need a bandage anymore, really, so she didn't tie it back on after.

"No sign of infection or muscular damage?" Kasius questioned.

"She's perfectly fine," Jemma said.

"Wonderful," Kasius said. "Then it's time."

Jemma jumped when the doors banged open with force, revealing a number of Kree guards. "Show me you can manage a crowd, May," Kasius said, retreating to stand near one of his plants. Sinara went to stand next to him.

There were eight Kree heading towards May, all quite strong. And then one dropped to the floor. And a second.

"What -?"

Jemma saw May start to smile as the woman ran to meet the remaining Kree, and in the seconds before May reached them a third dropped to the ground. They weren't unconscious, but knocked flat, and by something they couldn't see… Jemma only took another second to realize it had to be Yo-Yo, because Daisy came in a beat after that, sending one of the guards tumbling across the floor. Next came Mack, swinging a strong fist and upper-cutting a surprised guard that turned to face him, and Coulson, face set and ready. Yo-Yo appeared behind him, bringing everyone into the room.

"Nice place you got here," Coulson said, looking at Kasius. "I'm almost sorry we're wrecking it." He ducked a punch from a guard and struck him in the back, making the Kree stumble forward. "But not really."

Jemma looked at them all with her mouth parted, a feeling like there was a block in her chest keeping her from breathing much. They were all here. Everyone. And they were winning.

She'd lost all but a trace of hope, and here they were, proving that she never should have given up.

"Simmons!" Daisy cried, running over to her. She grabbed Jemma by the upper arm and smiled widely, looking at her and starting to lead her aside. "I'm so glad you're alright!"

Jemma looked at her and opened her mouth to say something, but before she could Daisy stumbled forward. Sinara threw Jemma aside and then turned back to Daisy, attacking. Daisy jumped to her feet to meet the woman, and the fighting began in earnest.

Jemma got to her feet and moved to a safer spot, farther away from the fighting. Yo-Yo was fighting two Kree guards, pin-balling from one to the other with a rapid series of short hits. Mack had one guard pressed to the wall, another on the ground next to him. May and Coulson were surrounded by the others, and as Jemma watched May jumped and spun to try to catch them in the head while Coulson aimed low.

She looked at Kasius and saw him moving quickly towards the far corner of the room and sprinted after him. She knew what he was after, and she couldn't let him get to it. If he reached the panic button, every guard he had would come in here, and there was no way they could defeat an entire army.

She lunged once she got close enough, grabbing onto him and taking them both to the ground. Kasius elbowed and shoved at her, and once he saw her a gleam entered his eye. "Now Jemma, that's hardly the behavior I expect of you. Stop."

Her fist froze from being drawn back, her body locking to prevent her from fighting him. She forced her fist back further, intent on striking him anyway, and an intense wave of pain radiated through her, making her abandon the effort. She looked at him for the first time without a trace of a mask on her face, allowing him to see her hatred.

"That's better," he said. "Now…" he seemed ready to smile, and a trace of fear lightened the hatred in Jemma's expression. "Let's greet your friends. Their guard will be down with you, so you can strike -."

She moved instantly, pushing past the pain to land the punch she still had drawn back before he could actually give her the order. He shook his head in surprise, cutting off. Jemma went to strike again while he was stunned, but he caught her hand, clamping it painfully in his grip.

"I told you to stop!" he growled. The pain became overwhelming for a few seconds, making her close her eyes against it. She was breathing heavier when it stopped, and saw Kasius looking at her with barely controlled anger. He grabbed her other hand and pulled her up with him, and then grabbed a pruning knife from the table, holding it carefully. "The fact that I don't want you marred will not keep me from striking you if you try that again," Kasius threatened, once again much too close to her face. He held the knife next to her cheek. "And you know that if you have an imperfection, you're of no value to me."

"As if I am now," she spat.

"I wouldn't go to such trouble if I didn't see something in you worth taming, Jemma. But you are testing my generosity." He started to move with her, turning.

Pain raging through her the second she started to move, Jemma whirled, knocking her hand against Kasius's wrist and sending the knife falling to the floor as she escaped his grip. Her head felt like it was splitting as she disobeyed his order yet again, that thing in her ear raging at her defiance, but she knew she had to keep going.

"Freeze!" Kasius bellowed.

For an instant her body acted like stone, muscles seizing to a stop as the order was automatically obeyed. Once that instant passed she continued forward, screaming as the pain magnified but following through anyway.

She struck him hard and fast, hitting him all over in a flurry of movements. Her hearing cut off but she didn't stop, pressing him backwards, fueled by pent-up fury and fear and a need to end the pain. Kasius landed a hit on her, stopping her flurry, and for a second she was terrified as he opened his mouth to say something that would destroy her, she was sure.

And then Kasius crumpled forward, falling to his knees.

Coulson smiled at her, saying something she couldn't hear. She didn't care what it was. As Kasius slumped to the floor she did as well, unable to stand anymore. She allowed her hands to clutch at her head now that she didn't have to defend herself, breathing heavily and fighting against the urge to close her eyes and black out. She had to get the thing out of her.

She saw Coulson kneel down next to her, asking what was wrong, and saw other people coming closer. She ignored them and moved closer to Kasius, grabbing his hand and holding it to her ear. This was the only idea she had. As a few seconds passed and nothing happened she moved his hand, adjusting it slightly.

It seemed to have an effect, and Jemma gasped as the steady wave of pain cut off. The thing in her ear moved, but it wasn't burrowing deeper this time. It was releasing its hold on her, and in a few short seconds it dropped into Kasius's limp palm.

Jemma's senses felt like they exploded, they were so clear again. Her hearing returned in full. Her vision became normal. There was a residual ache in her head from the pain before, but she was fully in control of herself again. She looked at the silver blob in Kasius's palm and breathed shakily. That was what had kept her here. That little silver blob.

"Jemma?" Coulson asked. He'd moved back, giving her space.

She brought her gaze up to him. The others were all standing behind him. Daisy was looking at her with concern, and when Jemma met her glance Daisy stepped up to her, kneeling next to her. She touched Jemma's wrist to get her to let go of Kasius's hand, and wrapped her arms around her once she had. Jemma hadn't realized how unsteadily she was still breathing, and struggled to regulate it and calm herself. She had to pull herself together.

"It's over," Daisy said softly.

Jemma swallowed and nodded, silently thanking Daisy for coming to her and helping her at least put a mask on her features again, so she could appear brave for her team. She didn't feel brave. It didn't feel like it was over to her. Not at all.

* * *

May was thrilled by the shock on Kasius's and Sinara's faces when the rest of her team came in through the doors. She'd been slightly worried something would go wrong, but she shouldn't have been. Coulson always managed to do what needed to be done.

She'd guessed their best bet would be following her and Sinara back up here, because then there was no way Sinara could surprise them. They could handle Kree guards they met along the way, especially since no one else knew about Yo-Yo and Daisy's powers. Yo-Yo moved ahead to see which direction Sinara and May turned, and how many guards were in the next section. Then they followed.

May thought it had worked out pretty well. And finally fighting the blue bitch had felt good. She'd been glad Daisy was helping, because it was definitely a challenge trying to keep Sinara and those damn balls in sight, but working out her frustration and actually hitting Sinara had felt fantastic.

By the time she'd beaten Sinara, Coulson and Simmons had taken care of Kasius.

Now she stood back with Coulson. Mack and Yo-Yo were tying up the Kree guards and Sinara. Daisy was just standing, trying to convince Simmons to move. Simmons kept looking back at Kasius's hand, and May realized the silver glimmer in it was what had allowed Kasius to control the girl. No wonder she kept looking at it.

Daisy seemed to realize it too, and held her hand over it. May watched as she quaked the blob, hitting it with a concentrated wave of energy that made it fully liquidate, losing its structure and running in a puddle to the floor.

"I don't know what that was, but it's useless now." Daisy said.

Simmons looked at it for a few more seconds, as if waiting for it to move back together, and then smiled lightly. "Good."

"I'll go tie him up," Daisy said, "and talk with the others about what to do next."

"I just need a minute," Simmons said.

Daisy smiled at her and then unceremoniously dragged Kasius over to Mack and Yo-Yo. Coulson went as if to follow her, and May watched him questioningly as he looked around. Her question was answered when he came back a minute later with a scrap of cloth. He wet it with the pitcher of water in the corner and then handed it to Simmons.

"Thought you might want to get that makeup off," he said. "Put this behind you. We don't have a ton of time to relax, but we can spare a few more minutes."

"Thank you, sir," Simmons said.

Coulson nodded and walked back over to May, and they turned slightly away. "That was a good thing to do," May said quietly.

"Maybe clearing away that paint will give her the push she needs to realize this is over. I don't think it's set in yet."

May looked back at Simmons and realized Coulson was right. She hadn't moved, aside from using the cloth to clear the paint away. As if she weren't processing everything. Simmons was wiping the gold paint from her face with quick, sharp motions. Motions that betrayed how much she was struggling to keep control of her emotions. That was why she wasn't fully processing. She was stuck just trying to manage emotions, let alone recent events. May saw that Coulson noticed this too, though the others hadn't yet, and shook her head slightly at him when he went to move. She would take care of her, quietly. She walked over to Simmons, and the girl stopped the jerking movements, taking a deep breath and plastering a smile on her face that May saw through immediately.

"Let me help," May said, holding out her hand for the wet cloth. Simmons held it tight for a few seconds and then reluctantly handed it over. May gently wiped away the bits of paint Simmons had missed, and noticed a tell-tale tightness in the skin around her closed eyes, a hard set to her mouth as she tried not to show how upset she was. "It's okay," May said softly. She set the cloth down on her lap. "I know you haven't let yourself really feel anything since they took you up here. Now it all feels like too much." Simmons opened her eyes and looked at her in shock, and May almost smiled. "I've been there before. It's tough, but you can control it. Focus on the present, and once we're safe start going through it all. We'll help." She raised the cloth and wiped the girl's brow once more, more to give her a final chance to hide than to clear away any paint. "There," she said, in her regular voice. "Back to normal."

Simmons looked at her, the tightness that had been around her eyes fading, and nodded. May was happy to see the spark of steel coming back into her eyes as they stood. They walked over to the others, who were hopefully coming up with a plan on what to do next.

"We've got nothing," Mack said.

Though she didn't show it on her face, May's irritation spiked.

Coulson was about to say something when the door slid open. Everyone whirled, surprised but ready to fight. "Lord Kasius, the newest bidder has arrived -," the Kree guard stopped speaking when he saw the unconscious bodies on the floor and the humans standing in a group. Alarm crossed his features as he turned to run, but the figure beside him struck, bowling him over and hitting him until he too was unconscious. The door slid closed, and the masked figure faced them.

May stepped closer warily, hands still raised. The figure took a few steps closer, saw May tense, and then slapped a hand to his head before ripping off the mask.

Fitz looked at them with a youthful smile. "Sorry, forgot I had the mask on."

They were silent for a few seconds, and then it sank in. May turned to look at Simmons as the others sprang to life, going over and greeting Fitz with claps on the back and embraces. They were noisy now, but Simmons was silent, staring at Fitz as if she were dreaming.

"Jemma?" Fitz asked, looking around Mack and Daisy, to where Simmons stood frozen. He saw her and looked at May for a second before closing the distance between them.

"Fitz," Simmons said, surfacing from the dream, and in a second the two had fallen together, holding on to each other as if for dear life.

May averted her gaze, looking instead at Coulson, and she didn't hide her smile from him. She hadn't expected to see Fitz here, but she was glad he had come when he did. May's worries about Simmons were replaced with warmth. Now that Fitz was here, she knew the scientist would be just fine.

She was feeling warm all over, good about everything, but about a minute after the Fitz-Simmons reunion, she realized they still didn't have a clear plan of what to do next. And the longer they delayed, the likelier it was that something would go wrong.

"As fun as this is, we need to move," May said.

Fitz looked at them. May was happy to notice that he was holding Simmons' hand. "I've got some things you should know," he said.

"What about a plan on what to do now?"

"I might have one of those as well."

May looked at her teammates. All healthy. All in one piece. And most importantly, all free.

She half-smiled. "Let's get out of here."


End file.
